5 Casual Linux Games You Probably Don’t Know About

The sheer amount of software you can find in your average Linux package manager is astounding. For example, Ubuntu offers 502 free game downloads, all a single click away in the software center. Other Linux distributions, including Fedora and Suse, offer just as many choices.

With that many games it’s hard to know what’s worth playing and what’s not. It wasn’t easy, but I spent a couple of days trying various games out. Keep reading to hear about five simple Linux games I personally enjoyed but think many Linux users may not be aware of, and feel free to suggest more in the comments below!

Which Way Is Up?

Gravity is subjective.

At least, it is in this game. Turn a switch and the entire field of play is rotated, meaning up, down, left and right are all redefined. A puzzle game with a few enemies and obstacles, this game is strangely addictive.

Numpty Physics

This one’s just awesome. Have you ever doodled on a pad of paper, wishing you could watch the results follow the laws of physics? Now you can!

In Numpty Physics the objective is to hit the yellow star with whatever red object is on the screen. Your tool for accomplishing this? Whatever you want. What you draw will interact with everything onscreen in accordance with the law of gravity. This is hardly scientific, but it is very intuitive and quite a bit of fun.

Ice Breaker

Everyone loves penguins, and penguin-related games are appropriately plentiful on the Linux platform. This game, a simple penguin take of the PC classic “Jezball,” isn’t exactly ambitious. Still, if you like the source material odds are you’ll like this game. The penguins are really just a bonus attribute so far as I’m concerned.

Frozen Bubble

Okay, I’ll admit it: you’ve probably heard of this one. Frozen Bubble is a well-designed puzzle game you should probably check out. Featuring a great-looking user interface and energetic movement, the goal of Frozen Bubble is to clear the playing area out completely this is achieved by hitting clusters of marbles with marbles of the same color.